Zamyn-Uud to Sainshand

The first section from Zamyn-Uud to Ulan Uud leaves the railway following a track with
occasional kilometre posts. We have heard of people pushing through 30km of sand when
following the railway closely. You may not see the railway for over a day at one point which is a
little disconcerting. However the powerlines also lead to Ulan Uud and provide a good reference.
You cross to the west of both these at one point and feel you are heading too far west, but is OK.
This was the sandiest stretch of track, but we never pushed for more than 100-200m at a time.
The track gently undulates over hills and is the most scenically interesting section.
Distance Description
0km Zamyn-Uud (or 'Zamuud' as called by the locals) Hotels, shops (all staples - bread, chocolate,
noodles etc), banks, money changers in square outside station (rates OK), internet.
2km End of tarmac - took main continuation from the end of seal at approx. 310 degrees, between
fence (didn't follow) and track
~11km Fork in Road - Take the L fork following the power lines - we initially took R fork to keep to
railway, then took 2nd R fork, then road deteriorated. (We were warned about people who had
pushed for 30km through sand when they had followed the railway closely for this first
120km. Track stays about 2km from railway. Take the most used looking track, there are
kilometre posts (5ft white) at times.
30km Area of hillocks / dry lakes - some shelter from wind for camping.
45km Large lake on W of road
54km Large lake to E of road. (Last time you see the railway until Ulan Uud)
60km Fork in road near smaller set of powerlines - take L/West branc under powerlines. You will
then head towards and cross under the second larger set of powerlines.
82km KM POST 136 - Road side cafe - closed
126km Ulan Uud - Shops (more well stocked ones are hidden) near large brick school in the 'centre'
of town Veg, noodles, pasta, cheese, chocolate, biscuits, available. Water kiosk 100m W of
railway station. Petrol on S side of town. From Ulan Uud I think the main track heads to the
west of the hillocks north of town hitting the railway at 146km (142/76km post) thus cutting
the corner. We didn't take this but were told about it by locals. We followed a track on the west
of the rails from the railway station. This is longer and probably not as good. (If heading N ->
S follow line of power lines on bearing 180 degrees up hill away from railway and town, then
follow obvious kilometre posts for the right track).
131km 5km north of town along the railway at brow of rise, a lesser track follows a line of powerlines
cutting the corner of the curve in the railway. Track OK.
146km KM POST 142/76 - track crosses railway to the East side. (From North take R hand fork at km
post to head direct to Ulan Uud). [note no lake at km 79 (from M&J website)]
155km Track with km posts follows electricity line away from rails, rejoining railway at Senj.
170km Senj - (KM POST 165/53km) village with shops (staples, biscuits, green pepper!, veg, bread,
meat), petrol, water. From Senj km posts and track follows electricity line away from, but
within sight of, the rails and rejoins after 9km then heads off again following the powerlines.
191km KM POST 190/34 - small hamlet on railway about 1km west of track
193km KM POST 188/30 - well and water troughs. Animals seen drinking out of so treat water.
209km KM POST 204/14 - track crosses railway to W side. Small hamlet on railway Track heads in
NW direction direct to Sainshand with powerlines.
225km KM POST 218/0 - track enters Sainshand from SE through the rubbish dump over the hill.
Track crosses a branch of the railway onto tarmac road. [N->S: take road out of town past
post/telecommunications offices, cross branch line, then take R fork overhill through rubbish
dumps]
227km Sainshand - hotels x4 in block north of museum/supermarket. All were full when we arrived.
Further hotels over hill (pass the tank memorial) - obvious one on R as enter Bayant-Ukhaa
(blue/white building 9000T for double). Shops seling lots of things in centre of Sainshand,
internet in post office.
229km Sainshand Railway Station - in Bayant-Ukhaa, north of Sainshand via tank monument. Some
shops.
 Sainshand to Choyr

This was the least interesting and hardeset cycling of the route. It is pretty flat most of the way
and the road is pretty badly corrugated in places sometimes for many kilometres. The new
'Trans-Mongolian Highway' is pushing out from Choyr although it is not completed between
Choyr and UB yet.

Distance Description
Sainshand Railway Station - Take the road heading NW (sealed) on the southwest
0km side of the rails. This crosses a branch line (end of seal), then to the northeast of the
main line 2km from town.
31km Hamlet on track - water in trough on N side
57km Hamlet on track - for the next 40km the track is very corrugated.
81km Hamlet on track
97km Hamlet on track - water on N side of town
Hamlet on track - track leaves railway and follows line of electricity lines on E side
113km
about 1-2km away
123km Track crosses branch line (not on maps) due east of Ayrag
Ayrag (Tsagaandorvolj on some maps) - Water kiosk, petrol, shops, excellent bakery
126km + veg shop (pineapples etc). We left town heading to the R of radio/phone mast on
NW side of town, then following powerlines about 500m from railway.
152km Dalanjargalan - shops (veg, bread, staples), water
Tsosmog - didn't see any shops. Water available. From here headed NNW across
163km
plains away from railway to powerlines.
176km Rejoin railway near mobile phone/radio mast
186km Hamlet - track leaves railway to E up hill
221km Track rejoins railway having skirted behind the opencast coal mine at 210km.
223km Track leaves railway again up steepish hill
227km We met the Nailakh-Maant-Choyr road under construction.
Choyr Railway Station - 2 hotels - 1. 100m N next to railway from station, white
building 4500T ppn, no shower; 2. Peach building (~300m) SE of railway station
(difficult to find) 2200T ppn, seriously cold shower. Shops around railway station -
232km
staples, veg, bread and market and bank in open area behind large buildings NE of
station. Welder on NE side of town (built 2 new steel pannier racks in 3 hours for
10000T (5UKP))
 Choyr to Ulaan Baatar

This section is under construction - started in 2001 and due for completion in Oct 2004.
Progress looks pretty slow and they are unlikely to finish on time. The road under construction is
nice to cycle along, although you have to drop off to pass any culverts/bridges not built yet.
There was patchy seal between Nailakh and Maant in June 2004. The road crews usually have
a water source (a large blue barrel) and a willing to share it with you if you need.

Distance Description
Choyr Railway Station - we left town past the radio/phone mast and joined a track
0km
following 2 parallel powerlines to join the new highway, which bypasses town.
5km Join new highway
Old Russian Airbase, with MIG fighter on plinth. Lots of people around town pulling
23km
it apart, also lots of dogs around too.
23-28km Small hamlets along railway - one with a particularly keen dog.
53km Hamlets x 2
58km Well by track
67km Hamlet
76km Hamlet
84km Well by track - lots of rubbish in it.
Hamlet - Shops (staples, chocolate, drinks) and water (kids were having a water
103km
fight!)
116km Well by old track (dry in June)
130km Maant - shops, cafe, petrol, water
Junction of railway - village (Bachanga). We met the seal here and followed the new
140km road which bypasses villages but there are truck stops and cafes underconstruction
along the road. Got water from road crews.
168km Village - small kiosk by road selling food
175km Top of pass
182km Nice camp spot on col above road on W overlooking valley
190km Village by track
200km Met UB-Nailakh highway
217km Police checkpoint, some cafes
231km Ulaan Baatar - Sukhbaatar Square
 Other Mongolian Roads
This section is a description of roads around Mongolia from our own personal experience, both
on the bike (BIKE) and in a jeep (JEEP), and the experiences of other (OTHER) cyclists to
whom we talked. The sources are in brackets. We found it difficult to get reliable info. in UB as
many people take jeeps and what is bad for a jeep is not necessarily bad for a bike. The route
from UB to Kharkhorin, White Lake, Hovsgol, and back in a loop via Darkhan is about 2000km.
However you can easily get a train to Erdenet and it will take bikes.

Road Description
Sealed, from UB to Darkhan is moderately busy and they drive quite fast.
UB to Erdenent
From Darkhan to Erdenet is quieter.(JEEP)
To Amarsgalant 35km one way. Fairly good road, one river crossing, some rough bits
Monastery (JEEP). Difficult to route find (OTHER)
Erdenet to Rough, muddy and boggy in places. New road under construction (due for
Bulgan completion 10.06). Some improved sections - stoney. (JEEP)
Generally OK. About 10km stoney section north of Hutag Ongor. Some
Bulgan to Moron boggy sections especially in rainy season. A few passes to cross. Follow km
posts - number of forks in road (JEEP). Generally OK (OTHER)
People say how bad this stretch is, but seemed no worse than previous
sections except for the last 10km which is stoney. The improved road is
Moron to Khatgal
very stoney and it was often better off to the side on another track. One
shop about half way.(JEEP)
A French couple cycled a back route way via Selenge (careful no bridge
here, but probably one at Hyalganat, they had to use rubber dingies!) then
Erdenet to
to Hutag-Ondor, Tarialan. From there north to Tsagaan-Uur and then west
Khatgal
to Khatgal. They said the roads we good 80-90% of the time, the scenery
was great and the locals very friendly. Took about 10 days.(OTHER)
Karakorum Expeditions do a route roughly following the Orkhon valley.
Erdenet to
This is supposedly good for scenery. They tend to be off road with jeep
Kharkhorin via
support. However there are plenty of tracks that run through this area.
Tsetserleg
(OTHER)
Khatgal to Very rough - a number of very stoney river crossings. One pass at 17km,
Toilgot steep. (JEEP) We cycled Janakai to Toilgot which was OK.
OK, with some sections of rocky rough road (JEEP), the northern section
was the worse (OTHER). Some very badly worn and rutted sections. The
road tends to follow powerlines, there were other bridges but streams we
dry in June. Scenery is great - the best we saw. PASS 1 - Ovoo (shrine),
Moron to guanz (cafe), follow track down big valley with river; PASS 2 - ovoo,
Jargalant guanz on S side; PASS 3 - ovoo; PASS 4 - no ovoo, Shine-ider in valley
(big village, probable shops, definate water); PASS 5 - no ovoo, spring
down valley to S by side of road, rough steep track on S side of pass, keep
to most E track; PASS 6 - Stone, square ovoo. In valley - Jargalant (river
crossing ~1m deep). (JEEP)
Jargalant to Dogs near Jargalant. People say this is the roughest stretch but 2 groups we
 know found it not too bad - worse nearer Moron. (OTHER) 10km rough
stretch with 4km very rough and rutted over pass (2km either side, ovoo).
Follows powerlines south, as the powerlines head E a good track goes S
White Lake
over a pass at the SW corner of the 2 lakes with good views. The track
crosses between the 2 lakes around to the north of Tsagaan Nuur. Track on
N side of lake not on maps and rejoins main road at Tariat. (JEEP)
White Lake to
Generally good roads. See below of detailed description (BIKE)
Kharakhorin
Sealed all the way. First section is good, then deteriorates into very
Kharkorin to potholed, but should be able to weave around most of them. The only snag
Ulaan Baatar is this is what all the cars do too so be careful. There are some roadworks
along this stretch. (JEEP)
The roads deteriorate as you head out to the far west of Mongolia. Stefan
could only cycle 40km a day on these roads, yet was doing 120km per day
Out West
on roads around Tsetserleg. The hills are steep (no zigzagging here) and
the tracks stoney/rocky. (OTHER)
53km of sealed road with occasional potholes. Mostly uphill all the way
Ulaan Baatar to there, with a great descent on the way back. Unsealed road north out of
Zuumod Zuumod to monastery. We camped out of sight in the trees about half way
up and were not disturbed in 4 days. (BIKE)
 White Lake to Kharkhorin
We cycled this stretch and so here is a more detailed description

Tsagaan Nuur Ger Tourist Camp - NE corner of lake. Can wild camp nearby. Track
climbs over small pass NE of camp then drops around the back of the extinct volcano,
0km
crossing a bridge into Tairat on NW side of town (there is a National Park kiosk here -
possible charge but closed when we went past)
Tairat - water, food, petrol. Staples, no veg. Travel follows "gravel road", but is much
10km
better cycling on tracks alongside.
40km Nice gorge - tourist ger camp
46km Village (Ondar Ulaan) - water (river), guanz, shops. Didn't stop.
57km Campsite/guanz/accomodation by stream.
70km Pass, 2100m
73km Guanz
76km Smaller pass
95km Guanz - 10km stoney/corrugated/both. May be improved further E (joined at 114km)
120km Pass, 2053m
121km Small shop - roadside gers selling chocolate, drinks, airag
122km Small stream between 2 passes; large ovoo on secondary pass
145km Ikh Tamir - shops (in town not on road), guanz, petrol, river outside town.
167km Pass - steep climb on both sides, good road.
Tsetserleg - shops, hotels, petrol. Go to Fairfield (English) resturant open 0900-1800
173km Mon-Sat for great food. They plan to open a simple guesthouse too. Followed sealed
road out of town past airport
189km End of seal
198km Tsenkher - river, shops, petrol, hotel
Petrol station at start of gravel road. Sign says UB 450km, Kharakhorin 91km, Khotnot
211km
55km.
231km Top of pass (ovoo)
258km Khotnot - shops, guanz, petrol
Kharkhorin - shops, market, hotel (white building behind market from road heading to
295km
Erdene Zuu)